Tea Preparation

Important elements of a great cup of tea are the water type, water temp and wait time for steeping.

Water Type: Fresh Artesian spring water or filtered water is preferred over tap water. Municipal water is usually over treated with chemicals, which negatively affects the taste of the tea and should be avoided. Never use hot tap water, even from a well, because of the higher mineral content created by deposits in the water heater.

Water Temp: Preparing your water is more than putting on a pot of water to boil. In fact that could be the worst thing you could do to your water. Boiling water removes some oxygen and that leads to stale tasting water, which in turn affects the quality of your cup of tea. Water temperature for green tea should range between 60° - 75°C (140° - 167°F) and for white tea; water temperature should be around 80°C (176°F). We are trying to visually quantify water temperature for you. If anyone has any suggestions please drop us a line.
I just put the a cup of water in the micro-wave for about 2 minutes or until the water shows it's first bubble action. 

Preparation: Put a teaspoon full of tea in a half cup of heated water and wait until most of the tea that is floating on top has fallen to the bottom.  Typically 4-6 minutes should release enough of the flavors of the tea to start to enjoy the aroma and taste. I then fill the remainder of the cup with 2 minute heated water and stir.  This step usually releases any remaining tea floating at the top to fall to the bottom of the cup.  Every person's palate is different and tracking steeping time is something you'll want to do, to maximize your tea drinking experience.  Finish it off with squeeze of lemon.  The citrus acid will help make the polyphenols, catechins and flavonoids more absorbable for good health.